[ There's a danger lurking here, he knows, even as he wants to let his lips linger longer or press another kiss or five along her shoulders. How many times has he done such a thing only to imagine it being something regular, something happening often, rather than finding small moments like this one and telling himself it's enough? Too many; too many when the years have led them here to where he gets away with slipping in a deeper feeling attached to all those actions on occasion. There's the ever looming possibility he's only setting himself up to be hurt in the end by his own hand. 'Enough' is a hollow word he's never been able to fill before - not with other dreams or this one to placate a want, and yet.

Hilda solves the problem of what he should do, somewhat, by turning in place to face him as he straightens back up and abandons kissing her shoulder again. He's about to speak but what she says first catches him off-guard even as his smile doesn't falter. Suddenly he can't remember when the last time one of them pulled out one of these terms of endearment was, and though he knows she doesn't mean it there's a split second where he thinks maybe. It passes soon enough because it's impossible to not view this equally through the lens of two teenagers making themselves laugh over increasingly flirtatious ones tossed out between them as much as the one of being the adult standing here now swallowing a wish. ]

Only for you, my stars. [ It's easier if he just pretends he doesn't mean it. It's just another line in their long-running game and a flippant response about the state of his boots in one. Claude follows that up with a tilt of his head and a far more mischievous smile in response to her batting eyes as he brushes everything else aside since there's a better - tangible - point to be made in front of them both. ] You didn't think I'd show up to escort you with scuffs on them, did you? That's hardly fitting for any kind of grand plan. And based on my recollections, I'm pretty sure that'd disqualify me immediately and my heart just couldn't take that risk.

[ Claude steps back to give himself the space needed to fall into a flourishing bow, one so overwrought he can practically hear Lorenz's tsk from however many worlds away it's echoing from, even as he also offers her his hand afterwards Very Properly to complete the whole thing. It's not that far off from their years of mocking courtship rituals and propriety, really. It's all the same thing. ]

And should I meet your exacting standards even if it's just for tonight, the market really does await us.